Crossing Paths
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Yang still couldn't even budge. She was numb. She felt like all of the bones in her body had been replaced with cotton. She felt light and weightless, almost like she were flying somehow. It was liberating... and terrifying. [Soulmates AU].


**A commission for** **Andu1991! They asked for Winter and Yang meeting one another for the first time in the Soulmates AU! There are different versions and ideas of this AU, but the customer asked for it to take place in the normal RWBY-verse world, where soulmates are born with matching tattoos!**

 **This isn't going to be a long story, so the pacing might be a bit quick.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Crossing Paths

Yang had always been a little impatient.

Even when it came to the smallest of things, such as waiting for her food to be delivered, or waiting for her favorite program to start airing.

Those were all things she didn't have to wait long for, things that eventually came to her within a reasonable amount of time.

But there were some things that took a bit longer in life to wait for.

For instance, waiting for her birthmark to react to someone, but not just anyone – her soulmate.

It happened every day, to someone. The marks they'd been born with somewhere on their body would suddenly be enveloped in warmth when passing by a total stranger.

That was the first sign.

People had different birthmarks in different places on their bodies, but almost everybody had something somewhere. The way things worked was that whenever that mark reacted, it meant you'd just encountered the love of your life.

Sometimes, a couple would have similarly-shaped birthmarks, or marks on the same area of their bodies. And while not everyone desired or was destined for a soulmate, there were a good amount of people who were.

And Yang was definitely one of them.

Her birthmark was located on her left hipbone, placed just conveniently enough where it couldn't be seen beneath her shorts. She preferred to keep it hidden anyway, because nothing was more embarrassing than having your mark activate for everyone around you to see.

She knew that Ruby's mark was on her right shoulder, but Yang knew nothing about Blake's or Weiss'. All she knew was that neither of them were her soulmates, because she'd never felt that telltale warmth around either of them. Or anyone else in all of Beacon, for that matter.

In her first few semesters here at the Academy, Yang had actually witnessed a pair of soulmates meeting for the first time, and they'd been put onto the same team, no less.

How wonderful it must've been for people like that, born and blessed with such luck while the rest of them were kept waiting for years on end to cross paths with the person they were meant to be with.

Yang was fairly certain that she'd passed by everyone in the school at least once, regardless of their grade or position, and she'd yet to experience that feeling.

People said it was a feeling unlike any other, a feeling that could only be experienced once in a lifetime. They said it was warm - unexpected, but not unwelcome - and absolutely wonderful.

Yang had always wondered if it might be difficult for her to tell when she _did_ eventually met her soulmate. Considering how naturally warm her semblance already was, what if that warmth blocked out the warmth said to accompany the activation of her mark? What if she'd already encountered her soulmate, but had completely missed that feeling?

That was perhaps one of her biggest fears, and she often thought about it.

She just wanted to meet someone and be absolutely sure _they_ were her soulmate.

She didn't want to be one of those people who lived fifty years before finding that person.

She didn't want to have to keep _waiting_ all her life for this.

She wanted to enjoy what was left of her youth with the person she was meant to be with.

Every morning, she awoke and wondered if today might be that day...

She thought nothing of it when Weiss announced she would be bringing her elder sister over to visit. Yang didn't even have the _time_ to think about her birthmark at that point, because Weiss was too busy barking at her and the rest of them to clean up the room until it was immaculate.

"If she sees a single speck of dust or a single page out of place, she isn't going to be happy," the heiress fretted. "Ruby! Get Zwei! You've got to hold him the entire time she's here so he won't get fur on her boots. And Yang, would you make your bed a little _neater_ , please?"

Yang rolled her eyes and grumbled.

"Why don't _you_ try making a bed that's suspended in midair?"

"If you recall, _I_ wasn't the one who voted for these bunk-beds."

Yang heaved a sigh and climbed up onto the side of Blake's bed to try and tidy up her own.

The four of them spent their Saturday morning cleaning and re-cleaning every inch of their room, never stopping to rest until Weiss was completely satisfied.

"There," she sighed. "That should do for now."

"Yay!" Ruby spun around with Zwei in her arms. "I can't wait to meet your big sister, Weiss!"

"Ruby, don't spin like that! You're going to create wind and then Zwei's fur will go flying!"

"Oopsie!"

"Ugh..."

"Weiss," Blake came up to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. "I think this will be fine. Even if your sister doesn't like how the place looks, what's she going to do? Sue the Academy?"

"You'd be surprised."

As the other three chatted, Yang decided to lounge on her bed for a while. She took out her headphones and a handheld game, rolling over onto her stomach to try and relax a bit after the busy morning.

It was never her intention to actually fall asleep again, but before she knew it, she found herself in another realm.

She was in a forest. Dark, gray, and colorless.

Most of her dreams had always been this way, since before she could remember.

She was lost, calling out for someone, but she couldn't make sense of the name. She didn't know where she was going or why. All she could do was continue walking, aimless.

Sometimes, she could see Grimm in the distance. She had nothing to fight them with, but they never attacked her, either. So in spite of how unsettling it all could be, she had no choice but to continue walking through those stark trees.

She didn't know how long she walked for in silence before a small sound reached her ears. It was a voice, one she could only just barely understand. It was asking her something...

 _Are you all right...?_

And then, it was music, the same music she'd been listening to before...

"Yang! Wake _up!_ " A familiar voice shouted to her. "My sister is here! Wipe the drool off your face, you oaf!"

Yang could feel her dream beginning to disappear, and her conscious beginning to return.

But not before she felt something _else_.

It was as though... a beam of sunlight had suddenly cut through the grey clouds.

It was bright.

It was _warm_.

It was...

It was like nothing she'd ever experienced before.

That warmth spread throughout her body, wrapped around her heart, and pooled at her left side. She opened her eyes, expecting it to fade along with her dream.

But it didn't.

She blinked her eyes open hazily, her vision shifting into focus as she looked down from her bed.

Ruby was there. Weiss was there. Blake was there.

But she wasn't looking at any of them.

Her eyes were drawn to the fourth person in the room.

She was... definitely Weiss' older sister.

Her clothes were of cooler colors and militant design, her posture erect and professional, her chin high, her eyes sharp and clever.

Yang couldn't even swallow, couldn't even blink. She just continued to stare as the warmth radiated from her skin.

Winter couldn't blink, either.

She'd just finished a four-hour flight here in order to visit her little sister for a few days. Though she had arranged to be staying elsewhere on the campus, she'd come to Weiss' dorm room to inspect her living quarters and conditions, as well as her teammates.

The smallest girl in the red cloak seemed innocent enough, and while the broodier girl with the black hair seemed a little concerning at first, Winter had ultimately decided that she was a good friend of Weiss' as well.

She'd been only mildly interested to see the leader's sister, assuming she would be as underwhelming as anyone else in the world.

She hadn't even gotten out of bed to come and greet Winter like the others had. Her clothes were ruffled, her mess of hair was unkempt, and there was a trail of drool on the side of her mouth, which was gaping wide open.

But Winter couldn't look away from her.

There was an odd sensation in the left side of her body, right about where the hilt of her sword rested. She'd never felt anything like it before.

 _This... This can't be..._

She could still hear Weiss snapping at the blonde girl to get out of bed and make herself presentable. But Winter couldn't keep her eyes off of those pools of lavender, wide with shock.

It looked as though this girl was showing the same kind of astonishment that Winter was feeling. Which could only mean one thing.

 _She feels it, too._

The thought was unknowingly mutual between them as they each savored _that_ feeling. That indescribable feeling of warmth that threaded through their veins like magic.

The moment seemed to last a lifetime.

Everything was confusion, excitement, anxiety, and relief all at once.

Yang still hadn't blinked once since she'd felt the warmth on her birthmark. Winter was also staring wide-eyed at the blonde girl, her mouth hanging slightly ajar.

It didn't take long for the other three to realize what was happening.

Blake was first to bring her hands to her mouth.

"Oh... Oh my god. Ruby, this... do you know what's happening?"

"I..." Ruby wheezed a small breath, incredulous. "If it's really what I think it is, th-then... W-Weiss, I think your sister and my sister are-"

"What?!" Weiss shrieked. "Nonsense! As if Yang could ever... I-I mean to think that Winter would ever be with... Th-Then what would that make us, Ruby?"

"Uhh, I-I don't know! I don't know what's going on! What's happening right now?!"

"Guys!" Blake hissed and dragged them both by the arms toward the door. "Maybe we should... you know, leave them alone for a minute. This is... kind of a big deal, right?"

"B-But-" Weiss gasped. "W-Winter just got here, a-and... with _Yang?!_ "

"Weiss, I think this means we're in-laws now!"

"Hush, you dolt!"

As the two of them continued their frazzled bickering, Blake did her best to drag them out of the room, leaving her partner and Winter alone now.

Yang still couldn't even budge. She was numb. She felt like all of the bones in her body had been replaced with cotton. She felt light and weightless, almost like she were flying somehow.

It was liberating... and terrifying.

And yet, it was everything she'd ever been told to expect, everything she'd ever imagined it would be.

She'd just... never thought it would be with Weiss' older sister.

Clearly, Winter was shocked beyond belief about all of this as well. The heat in her side was still spreading throughout her body, making itself and its purpose unmistakably known.

 _This girl?_ Her mind was racing, and yet blank at the same time. _This girl... she's in Weiss' grade? She's my sister's age? Several years younger than me, and she's supposed to be my...? Clearly there must be some kind of mistake..._

But the ways of this world were all too clear; there never were any mistakes when it came to finding your soulmate.

It was just... a little overwhelming for the both of them.

Moments of baffled silence passed between them, until Yang finally managed to muster up the courage to move.

What she'd intended to be a graceful jump down from her bunk bed ended up being an unceremonious stumble when her leg got caught in the blanket, causing her to fall over the edge and dangle there for a second before crashing to the floor.

Winter half-snorted, half-coughed at the spectacle, covering her mouth quickly to hide what might've been a blush, but she imagined it to be just the residual heat from her mark.

"Are... you all right?"

With a gasp, Yang scrambled to her feet.

Those words... that was the exact same question she'd always heard in her dream.

Her jaw hung slack again as a thin, wavering voice unknowingly slipped out.

"H-Holy shit..." She almost swayed, but quickly started to regain whatever iota of composure she had left. "I-I mean-! Oh, shit! S-Sorry for my language, a-ah, oh crap, sorry! I-I just... I... It's you... it's really you..."

As the flustered feelings died down, a sense of wonder took its place.

This... was the feeling she would only get to experience once in her lifetime.

Only right here, right now, in this moment. The moment when she'd finally met her soulmate and spoken to her for the first time.

Winter was obviously trying to let it all sink in as well. Confident that she had control over her mouth again, she let her hands fall away to fold neatly behind herself again.

"It's quite all right. I'd always been wondering why the words I'd heard in my dreams involved profanities. But it all makes sense now, considering how we met."

"Y...Yeah..." Yang wheezed. "I'm really sorry about that, I just... I'm... kinda freaking out right now."

"Understandable. After all, this _is_ quite a life-changing moment. For the both of us."

"I'll bet it is," the blonde mumbled. "You're probably... pretty disappointed, huh? To discover that your soulmate is some sloppy, clumsy girl like me..."

"I doubt anyone would've been much more graceful if they'd been in your position at the time of this revelation," Winter reasoned. "I'd be foolish to write off the person I'm clearly destined to be with on a first impression." With that, she reached out her hand towards Yang and offered a kind smile. "My name is Winter Schnee. I'm very pleased to finally make your acquaintance. I've been waiting for many years."

Yang gulped, her heart thudding a mile a minute as she slowly remembered how to move her arm and extend her hand.

"Same here..." Her fingers slipped into Winter's gloved ones and curled softly there. "The name's Yang. Yang Xiao Long. I'm... so thrilled to finally meet you..."

The warmth that had been spreading throughout their bodies was now transferring onto their fingertips and mingling together at the point where they were touching, making the first contact of many more to come.

Even though they had only just formally met, they felt as though they'd known one another for a very, very long time somehow.

Their eyes locked once more, curious and amazed. Yang's lips twitched upwards in the beginnings of a smile, and though subtle, Winter's followed suit.

Cautiously, they stepped closer and moved their right hands, as though it were customary, until their palms rested respectively on one another's left hip. Directly over their shared mark.

It was all happening so quickly, and yet at a reasonable pace.

As if on cue, both girls closed their eyes, and their foreheads came together, blonde and alabaster bangs intermingling together with a soft bit of pressure.

Something... indescribable began to happen then.

It was as though all of their thoughts and memories were being shared with one another, all of the knowledge they'd ever need to know.

They lived one another's entire lives up until this point, all within the course of a few seconds.

With a sense of un-rushed urgency, they were enveloped by some intangible swirl of essence that could only be described as _theirs_.

It was warm, then cold, then warm again.

It was as though they were making up for all the lost time they hadn't gotten to spend with one another in the past, so that from this moment onward, they could continue moving forward into the future.

It truly was nothing short of magical, almost euphoric in a way.

But after all of this had come and gone, a bit of a dizzy spell overcame them both.

Keeping their hands together, they made their way over to the beds and sat down on Blake's. Yang glanced down into her lap to find that her fingers were still entwined with Winter's. She gave a small squeeze, and received one in return.

"Wow... oh my god..." she mumbled. "If someone had told me yesterday that I'd wake up today and find my soulmate standing right in front of me, I would've laughed."

"The feeling's mutual," Winter agreed. "This certainly... wasn't anything like what I was expecting."

Yang's smile faded as a spark of worry shot through her.

"Oh no. I didn't, like... _force_ this on you somehow, did I? I mean, just because I've been waiting all my life for this doesn't necessarily mean that _you_ have. And I kinda just-"

" _Yang_."

The way Winter said her name sent chills up and down her spine, while a new warmth enveloped her heart. Yang fell silent instantly, savoring the way her name sounded on the lips of her soulmate for the very first time. She took a deep breath and let it out.

Winter went on, squeezing her hand gently as she did so.

"Don't worry. Just because this wasn't what I'd been expecting doesn't mean it's not what I wanted. If I hadn't been destined to find a soulmate, I would've been born without a desire for one. I can _assure_ you I have been wanting this just as strongly and for just as long as you have."

"Wow... Really?"

"Really."

Yang felt one of her dumb, crooked grins coming on and she quickly looked away to hide it.

"I just... I still can't believe it. It all happened so fast..."

"That's how it's meant to happen," Winter reminded her. "We're lucky enough it happened for us in a way that we could appreciate the experience. Though, I'll have to have a chat with Weiss about all of this. I feel it might take her some time to comprehend."

"Same goes for Ruby. I'll have to explain it to her."

Talking about their sisters made things a little easier for them. The buzzing, swirling emotions seemed to become calmer as time went on now.

And even though the warmth in their bodies and surrounding their marks was slowly beginning to dwindle, it would never completely fade now that they'd found one another.

Yang was filled with a melancholy hyperactivity. She wanted to sit here and reminisce with Winter about all the years they'd spent apart. She wanted to do nothing, and everything at the same time.

But time really was a concept they had to consider.

A sudden beeping sound caused Winter to reach for her scroll to silence it.

"My apologies. I've got to go for now. I have business to attend to here." She watched as Yang's shoulders visibly slouched and her smile faded.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I totally get it. You have stuff to do..."

Winter smiled, reached forward, and softly brushed her fingers through Yang's hair.

"But it will only be until tomorrow. I'll be staying in the area for a while yet. And I'm not busy every day. During the times when we're both able, I'd love nothing more than to see you again, Yang. There's... _so_ much I want to do with you now."

Yang's mood lifted all over again as she imagined what Winter's implications could entail. Their first date, walks around the park, dinner together, mock fights and sparring matches...

She couldn't wait.

Then again, waiting all her life had resulted in _finally_ finding what she'd been looking for.

So perhaps she could wait just a _bit_ longer.

Even so, when Winter stood up, Yang couldn't help but follow suit, their hands still connected.

How were they supposed to let go, after only having just found one another? The only thing that made it seem possible was the knowledge that they'd see each other again soon.

But for now, they both knew they'd need to part, if only temporarily.

Swallowing a little hard, Yang shuffled her feet a bit.

"So... maybe sometime tomorrow... or the day after, we can-?"

"Of course. I'll make arrangements to ensure I'll be free and I'll contact you." Here, Winter paused, as though she were thinking something over. "But, before I head back today, do you think you could... say my name?"

Yang hadn't realized it until just now, but she was right.

Winter had said her name, allowing Yang to experience the euphoria of hearing it spoken by her soulmate.

Now it was her turn to repay the favor.

With a nod, Yang looked up into her eyes and smiled.

" _Winter_."

Even the eldest daughter of Schnee couldn't help but close her eyes as a shiver ran through her. It seemed as though a fraction of the innate stiffness left her body in that moment, and she let out a sigh.

"Thank you, Yang." Winter brought the girl's hand up to her lips and kissed her knuckles. "I'll see you again very soon."

"Yeah. See you soon."

With one last shared smile, they released one another's hands.

Though the physical contact was missing now, the link between them was never severed. That pleasant warmth continued to fill their chests and pool at their marks, even as Winter crossed the room and exited.

Yang watched her go, full of heartache in watching her leave, and joy of having found her at long last.

It was several minutes later when Weiss and the others came back into the room, all three of them looking at Yang in utter astonishment.

Ruby and Blake were eager to ask questions about what it was like to have finally met her soulmate. Weiss was the most incredulous of them all, and though she was still in shock, she made sure to congratulate Yang.

They didn't do much for the rest of the day. But Yang was feeling so incredibly energetic that she decided to take a walk around campus.

It was surreal.

She felt as though all was right with the world.

When she walked, every step now resonated with a pair of footsteps somewhere else – wherever Winter was.

All colors were brighter, and every breath was more enjoyable.

When she returned to the room and enjoyed a bit of supper with her team, every bite of food tasted more delectable.

Even things that had once seemed so commonplace, such as showering or changing clothes, were now even more enjoyable to her.

And that night, she climbed up onto her bunk and laid down, resting the hand that Winter had kissed over her heart, imagining her soulmate doing the same.

Her mind was full of thoughts of her, to the point where she almost couldn't fall asleep.

But when she next opened her eyes, she found herself in that forest again.

Only this time, it was covered in snow and she wasn't alone.

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 **A/N: I know it wasn't very much for something as huge as meeting your soulmate, but given the word limit, I did all I could. I tried to focus on just the act of meeting your soulmate, how it would feel to finally have all the pieces to a once-blurred puzzle fit into place and become clear.**

 **I've written a bit of Winter/Yang before, and I've got to appreciate their shared big sister similarities. I think this pairing would allow Yang to be the one who gets taken care of for once, and I like that~**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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